


give me a miracle (let them see they're all very much in love with each other)

by Hermoine_winchester



Category: Sorted (Website) RPF
Genre: Ben's a little confused but he's got the spirit!, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, M/M, Polyamory, basically shenanigans happen before the happily ever after!
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-23
Updated: 2021-02-23
Packaged: 2021-03-14 03:26:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,463
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29661036
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hermoine_winchester/pseuds/Hermoine_winchester
Summary: Ben knows his job is to get his friends to realise that they're all in love with each other and live happily ever after.Ben knows nothing.
Relationships: Ben Ebbrell/Barry Taylor, Ben Ebbrell/Jamie Spafford, Ben Ebbrell/Mike Huttlestone, James Currie/Ben Ebbrell, James Currie/Ben Ebbrell/Mike Huttlestone/Jamie Spafford/Barry Taylor, James Currie/Jamie Spafford
Comments: 9
Kudos: 15





	give me a miracle (let them see they're all very much in love with each other)

Ben loves SORTED.

He really does. 

But he really wishes he could spend some time away from his friends. 

Because sometimes, and it seems to be happening more and more nowadays, they really are INCREDIBLY dense. 

Jamie spends 30 minutes in a line to get a croissant for Mike. Mike spends three days taking care of a very sick Barry. Barry spends a whole day parading around in a skimpy outfit to make James laugh. James spends three weeks perfecting a battle recipe for Mike. Jamie and Mike accompany Barry to an extremely pretentious gallery opening. 

They're so dense, he thinks to himself as he watches James make a cup of tea for Jamie exactly in the weirdly specific way he likes it. 

He really doesn't understand why none of them have said something about it. 

He hopes it's not done for his benefit. 

He's entertained the thought that the four guys were actually dating and just keeping him out of the loop. 

But then he sees James stare at Barry as he walks by and. 

They definitely aren't dating. 

Because he catches James looking at Mike like he's the sun and Mike does the same and it's never acknowledged that they all look at each other like they're the most precious thing to ever exist.

It's kind of getting annoying. 

He can't believe they're so dense. 

After a whole another day of seeing them essentially thirst after each other, he really has had enough. 

He needs to get his friends to get their heads out of their asses and just date each other because at this point it's just a tad bit embarrassing. 

This is how the plan is going to go and it's a definitive plan because he has a spreadsheet to back his attempts. 

He thinks they've not realised that the others want the relationship too. 

So he's going to make it happen. 

Because Ben is their friend and he'd do anything to make his friends happy. 

He invites the guys to go to a pub and tries to ensure his friends have plenty of space to talk. 

Jamie and James make him sit between them and his plan of retreating fails spectacularly. 

He has a really great night. 

He doesn't realise that his plan didn't work until he gets home. 

He's not that bummed out about it. 

He invites Mike and Jamie, the two he considers the least oblivious in their group of friends (is it a group of mates if the four are dating and he's fifth wheeling?) over to his apartment. 

It's a weekend so he makes a Sunday roast because he doesn't think he'd actually hung out with the lads like this in forever. 

He calls James and Barry but they both cite excuses and he can't help but feel that they're together. 

He doesn't understand why they'd lie to him, but it stings a lot. 

The meal goes swimmingly and the alcohol is flowing freely by the end. 

Jamie makes an utterly dumb joke and Mike's laugh makes his heart swell. 

He doesn't understand why his friends can't see what's right in front of them. 

He even makes sure to name drop one of his own friends who's in a polyamorous relationship. 

Mike seems to have a light bulb moment after that and he hopes him and Jamie talk after they leave his apartment. 

Jamie lingers and hugs him for a few seconds too long and Mike pats his shoulder as he leaves and it's weird but if the meal opens their eyes, he's willing to deal with any and all awkwardness.

James bakes him sourdough bread the next day. He doesn't understand why but rationalises it must've been a recipe testing thing. 

Huh, he didn't know they were doing any recipe testing for sourdough. 

Barry brings him coffee from his favourite coffee shop and apologizes for missing the lunch. 

Ben can't figure out why Barry went to a coffee shop thirty minutes out of his way to get him an apology coffee but he doesn't dwell on it. 

Jamie lingers by his desk even though he has his own office and everything and he's confused but he's never refused company so he gets Jamie a cup of tea to his liking since he's making a coffee anyway and. 

Jamie's face lights up at the sight of the cup. 

Ben doesn't get why there's an itch of realisation under his skin. 

He can't figure out what's happening. 

Mike tells him to come over to James's apartment that weekend and he doesn't understand why he's being asked, but oh well. 

The situation slowly improves over the week. He's sure he saw James and Jamie wear the same clothes twice in a row but he doesn't say anything. 

His plan worked!

(So why was he sad?)

Mike shows up on Thursday wearing James's jumper and Barry is definitely wearing Jamie's shirt and they all look frazzled like they'd just woken up and rushed out and. 

Ben's heart swells because his friends look so happy and he berates himself for being jealous of it. 

(He doesn't question if he's jealous because of how happy they are or because he wants to be the one making them happy)

(It's the latter)

That weekend, he shows up to James's apartment with a nice bottle of wine in hand and Mike opens the door and kisses him and. 

Ben's too stunned to do anything except kiss back because it's Mike and he really doesn't get if it's a joke or something but James comes over and takes his coat and smiles at him so warmly and pecks his forehead which okay James sometimes does but. 

What the hell?

He moves to the dining table and it's already laid and it's got five places set so he sits beside an empty seat and. 

Jamie sits beside him and kisses his cheek. 

Ben's too stunned to speak. 

Jamie notices and he can feel the atmosphere shift as he realises something's wrong. 

Ben doesn't know what to say to Jamie's inquiring and earnest gaze so he stays quiet and Jamie takes his hand into his lap and. 

Oh no. 

Because Jamie's rubbing small circles on his hand with his thumb and. 

James sits at the head of the table and Barry and Mike sit opposite him and it hits him like a train because. 

In the tiniest voice he can muster because speaking too loud might shatter the illusion he asks , "Is this a date?" 

James looks at him and he looks surprised but Mike speaks up first and he says yes and he sounds like he's trying not to spook him and Ben. 

Ben might just stop breathing for a second. 

Everyone's looking at him worried now and he doesn't know what to say. 

So he doesn't. 

He gets up and goes to the loo because he needs a few minutes to himself because he can hear his heart beating in his ears. 

He takes out his phone and looks at the stupid fucking spreadsheet he made a few weeks before and thinks of how James dropped off soup the last time he caught a cold and Jamie bent the rules on a sponsorship so that Ben could visit a few places that wouldn't end up in the videos. 

He thinks of Barry always staying behind if the recipe testing lasts too long and Mike who's always behind the camera with a warm smile if Ben needs more than one take to tell his line properly. 

He picks himself up and goes back to the table and he can clearly see the concern written over everyone's features and though he himself can be pretty dense sometimes he knows what the solution is. 

So he kisses everyone. 

Yeah. 

Jamie's and James's beard scratches against his face and he doesn't know where the hell even Barry bought that chapstick from and he can't tell what flavour it really is and that's kinda annoying and Mike has a deceptively nice mouth. 

And then when he's done he sits down beside Jamie who takes his hand and. 

He feels really silly.

He doesn't know how he's missed it. 

Because Mike's playing footsies with him under the table and James keeps looking at him every minute or so to make sure he's okay and. 

It's been so obvious, he thinks.

He could've had this for much longer couldn't he? 

He looks at Barry speaking to James , leaning over the table almost to the point of where he's falling over and looks at Mike talking to Jamie and thinks that yes he could've had it for much longer but he has this now and he's going to make sure that he keeps it for a long time as well. 

**Author's Note:**

> unbeta'd so all mistakes are mine! thank you for reading! only listened to the Niall Horan and FLETCHER cover of lover and women in music part III by HAIM so stream those! remember to drink water! <3


End file.
